High Zero Festival Crowdsourcing a 20th Anniversary Tour

Beginning in 1999, the High Zero Festival of Experimental Improvised music has established Baltimore as an international center of experimental culture, emphasizing collaborations between avant-garde artists in the city with those around the world. Organized on a 100% volunteer basis by the High Zero Collective, a fluid group of Baltimore musicians and artists, the festival has consistently garnered national press — including National Public Radio calling it “the premier showcase for spontaneous sound.”

The festival has a unique structure. Internationally famous improvisors play side by side with younger musicians, united by their commitment to the musical imagination. Each year, Baltimore becomes a fertile meeting-ground for a large group of inspired players, drawn from a fascinating international subculture.

To celebrate the 20th edition of High Zero, we’re taking it on the road! Spanning three weeks in September, the High Zero Collective will travel for two shows each in Chicago and New York, performing with musicians from each host city, then return to Baltimore for a two-night blowout with local musicians.